Gilardino laments 'naive' errors as Parma fall 2-1 to Lazio for third straight Serie A defeat
Parma's third straight defeat exposes fragile defence
Alberto Gilardino admitted Parma ‘conceded the goals far too easily’ in a 2-1 Serie A defeat to Lazio, their third consecutive league loss after going down 3-0 to Inter and Torino. The Ducali did score their first goal of Gilardino’s tenure, since he replaced Carlos Cuesta, as Simone Lontani’s cross bounced in off the inside of the far post to beat Christos Mandas in added time. It was too little, too late.
‘Naive errors’ and a call for maturity
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Gilardino said he felt Parma had improved in the first half compared with the defeat to Torino.
“I will have to watch it again, but I feel we made a step forward in the first half compared to the performance against Torino,” Gilardino said. “We created more dangerous situations to take the lead, but after the restart we conceded the goals far too easily. These are naïve errors and we cannot keep doing this, so it is a process of maturity we’ve got to push forward quicker now.”
He admitted the side should have been more proactive, particularly around the second goal.
“In terms of our attitude and being pro-active, we should’ve done something more, especially on the second goal. Fear must not be part of our vocabulary. We are in a difficult situation, we have to face them with responsibility. There is an opportunity in four days to play an important match on home turf, it’s not decisive yet, but I am sure we’ll do better.”
Diego Carlos and Sierro below par
Parma had several big chances on the counter-attack in the first half, but could not convert them, partly due to saves from Mandas. Diego Carlos, signed for his experience, was at fault for both Lazio goals: he redirected a Reda Belahyane pass into the path of Kenneth Taylor, then turned a Nuno Tavares cross into his own net.
Gilardino explained his midfield selection, saying he preferred Vincent Sierro to Bernabé, who was returning from injury and needed rest ahead of another game on Wednesday. He said Sierro “has the quality to play in any of the midfield positions.”
“I expect a lot from the more experienced players, both in terms of communication and attitude. It’s true that Diego Carlos and Sierro were below par today, but I have faith in them, they can and must transmit a clear identity for the future of Parma.”
“We need leadership in this squad, which is overall very young, so we must all try to maintain a positive approach. I know it’s not easy, but we need that spark to turn in the right direction.”
Season in numbers
Parma have won only one Serie A match this season, a 2-1 victory over Genoa on September 20, and have also drawn one and lost six. They have scored just five goals in eight rounds. Gilardino said the team moved to a 4-2-4 formation in the closing stages, where Lontani could be decisive.
“Simone has incredible margin for improvement, especially when attacking the space and going one on one. We moved to 4-2-4 in the final stages today and he can be decisive in those positions, but also do damage between the lines. He is very young and we believe he has a bright future.”